Control and indication of railway switches



1, March 15, 1927. A. T. JOHNSTON 620 893 Filed Sept. 14, 1926 L I w Rr3 l 15') I9} '6' 7 N I B i 21 rmi I P ,2 I T I i M I I I I "16' Lu--. 1

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Patented Mar. 15,1921

ALLEN 'r. JoirNsroN, on nonMoNr, PnNNsvLvANI "Ass'IGNoR To TI-IE U IoN.SWITCH & SIGNAL oo /rrAN or swrssvALn, PENNSYLVANIA, A conronArroN onPENNSYLVANIA,

CO TROL AND r nrcArroN or RAILWAY swrrcnns.

Application filed Se tember 14, 1926. Serial No. 135,380 L My inventionrelates to railway switches, and has for an object the provision ofapparatus for the control and indication of a switch from-a distantpoint'with a minimum 5 number of line wires between such point andtheswitch beingshown in the normal position in the drawing. The switch isoperated by a fluid pressure motor M, comprising a cylinder 1 andapiston 2 operating in the cylinder and connected with the switch A.through a suitable mechanismindicated The supply of fluid pressureto thecylinder M controlled by two magnet valves N and R arranged whenenergized to move the switch to its normal and reverse positions,respectively. The magnet valve N when energized admits fluid pressurefrom a suitable source through the,

pipe 4 and the pipe 5 to the lower end of the cylinder 1, and when thisvalve is cleenergized it disconnects the pipe 4 from the pipe 5 andopens the pipe 5 toatmosphere. Similarly, when the valve R is energizedit admits fluid pressure from the pipe 4 through the pipe 6-to theupper. end of cylinder 1, and when this valve is de-energized Iitdisconnects pipe 4 from pipe 6 and opens pipe 6 to atmosphere.

The magnet valves N and R are controlledby a manually operable circuitcontroller L located at a distant point, and the positions of the switchare indicated at such distant point by two electric lamps B and Bcorresponding respectively to the normal and reverse positions of theswitch. These The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Asillustrated in thedrawing, lever L and switch are both in the normalpositions, and the normal magnet valve N is en-' erg zedby 'aicircu'itwhich passes from the positive terminal of battery C, through wires 9and 10, contact f circuit controller L, wires 11 and 12, magnet of valveN, asym metric --unit 20, and wire 13 to the middle point of battery 0.Magnet N is, therefore, energized to hold-the switch A in the normalposition. The normal indication lamp B is energized by a circuit whichpasses from the middle point of battery C, through wire 13,"

asymmetric'unit. 22, contact 14, wire 15, contact T, lamp B and wires 16and 17 to the negativeterminal of battery C. In order to reverse theswitch .A, the operator moves a the lever :Lto its right-hand position,whereupon a-circuit for maglnetvalve R is'closed, whlch circuitpassesfrom the positive terminal of battery 0, through wires 9 and 18,

c'ontact'7,'wires 15 and 19, valveof magnet R, asymmetric unit 21, andwire 13 to'the middle point .of battery Inasmuch as magnet valve R isnow energized and magnet valve N is de-energized, the switch is shiftedto its reverse position, and this in turn reverses the positionof'contact 14.

The reverse indication lamp B will then become lighted through acircuitwhich passes from the middle point of battery C, through wire13,asymmetric unit 22, contact 14, w1re 11, contact 8, reverse indicationlamp B I and wire 17 to the negative terminal of battery G. In order torestorethe switch to the normal position, the operator reverses lever Lto its normal or left-hand position, whereupon magnet valve R willbecome deenergized and magnet valve N ,will become energized through thecircuit which, was traced here'inbefore. turns to, its normal position,the normal'indication lamp B will become lighted by virtue of thecircuit which was likewise traced hereinbefore. I

Each of the asymmetric units 20, 21 and 22 is arranged toconductcurrentfreely inthe direction indicated by the arrow but not in theother direction. Each of these units may, for example, be of the typedisclosed and claimed in United States patent application, Serial No.1111, filed by Lars O.

Grondahl on January 7th, 1925', although I After switch .A re

do not wish to be of unit.

The parts are so adjusted that when a lamp B or B is connected in serieswith themag'net of valve N or valve R, the lamp will not receive enoughcurrent to cause it to be-lighted.

One feature of my invention is the prolimited to any specific typevision of means for controlling the switch,

, I claim is':

1. In combination, a railway switch havmg normal and reverse positions,means for operating said switch including a normal magnet and areverse-magnet, a contact actuated loy SELlCl switch, a manuallyoperable circuit controlling lever havi'ng'normal and reverse positions,a normal. indication lamp and a reverse indication l'amp,a circuit forsaid normal magnet including a normal contact ot-said lever and a firstasymmetric unit, a circuit for said reverse magnet including a reversecontact o-t'said lever and a second asymmetric unit, a circuit for saidnormal lamp including a normal contact of said lever and a "thirdasymmetric unitand said switch-actuated contact when in normal position,and a circuit for said reverse lamp including a reverse contact of saidlever and said third asymmetric unit and said switchactuated'contactwhen in reverse position.

magnet and an asymmetric unit to an intermediate point of said source, acircuit passing from the positive terminal of said source through areverse contact of said lever and the reverse magnet and a secondasymmetric unit to an intermediate point of said source.

c a circuit passing from an intermediate point in said source through athird asymmetric unit and said switch-actuated contact when in normalposition, and "a normal contact of said lever and the normalindicationlamp to the negative terminal of said source, and a circuitpassing from the intermediate point in said source through said thirdasymmetric unit ands'ai-d switch-actuated" contact when in the reverseposition and said reverse indication lamp to the negative terminalotsaid source.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALLEN TLJ OHNSTON.

